European soccer has lost a “huge player” in Zlatan Ibrahimovic but the striker will raise the level of the game in the U.S following his move to LA Galaxy, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday.

Ibrahimovic last week ended a short but successful stint at United – where he won the League Cup and the Europa League – to become the latest high-profile player to move to the MLS, following the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard.

Mourinho used his news conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game against Swansea City to pay tribute to the talismanic Swedish forward who he previously coached at Inter Milan.